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Headless Ubuntu/Xfce containers with VNC/noVNC

Project accetto/ubuntu-vnc-xfce-g3

Version: G3v6

User Guide - Docker Hub - Changelog - Wiki - Discussions

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Introduction

This GitHub repository contains resources and tools for building Docker images for headless working.

The images are based on Ubuntu 24.04, 22.04 and 20.04 LTS and include Xfce desktop, TigerVNC server and noVNC client. The popular web browsers Chromium and Firefox are also included.

This User guide describes the images and how to use them.

The content of this GitHub project is intended for developers and image builders.

Ordinary users can simply use the images available in the following repositories on Docker Hub:

There is also a sibling project accetto/debian-vnc-xfce-g3 containing similar images based on Debian.

There are also another sibling projects containing images for headless diagramming, drawing, image processing and modelling (accetto/headless-drawing-g3) and for headless programming (accetto/headless-coding-g3).

Building images

You can execute the individual hook scripts in the folder /docker/hooks/. However, the provided utilities are more convenient.

The script builder.sh builds individual images. The script ci-builder.sh can build various groups of images or all of them at once.

Before building the images you have to prepare and source the file secrets.rc (see example-secrets.rc).

Features that are enabled by default can be explicitly disabled via environment variables. This allows building even smaller images by excluding the individual features (e.g. noVNC).

The resources for building the individual images and their variations (tags) are in the subfolders of the /docker/ folder.

The individual README files contain quick examples of building the images:

Each image also has a separate README file intended for Docker Hub. The final files should be generated by the utility util-readme.sh and then copied to Docker Hub manually.

The following resources describe the image building subject in details:

Image generations

This is the third generation (G3) of my headless images. The second generation (G2) contains the GitHub repository accetto/xubuntu-vnc-novnc. The first generation (G1) contains the GitHub repository accetto/ubuntu-vnc-xfce.

Project versions

This file describes the sixth version (G3v6) of the project.

However, also this version keeps evolving. Please check the CHANGELOG for more information about the changes.

The previous versions are still available in this GitHub repository as the branches named as archived-generation-g3v{d}.

The version G3v6 adds the images based on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat).

Also the default user headless:headless (1000:1000) has been changed to headless:headless (1001:1001) in all images, even if it has been technically required only for the images based on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat).

The version G3v5 has brought only one significant change comparing to the previous version G3v4:

  • The updated script set_user_permissions.sh, which is part of Dockerfiles, skips the hidden files and directories now. It generally should not have any unwanted side effects, but it may make a difference in some scenarios, hence the version increase.

The version G3v4 has brought the updated startup scripts and the following major changes comparing to the previous version G3v3:

  • The updated startup scripts that support overriding the user ID (id) and group ID (gid) without needing the former build argument ARG_FEATURES_USER_GROUP_OVERRIDE, which has been removed.
  • The user ID and the group ID can be overridden during the build time (docker build) and the run time (docker run).
  • The user name, the group name and the initial sudo password can be overridden during the build time.
  • The permissions of the files /etc/passwd and /etc/groups are set to the standard 644 after creating the user.
  • The content of the home folder and the startup folder belongs to the created user.
  • The created user gets permissions to use sudo. The initial sudo password is configurable during the build time using the build argument ARG_SUDO_INITIAL_PW. The password can be changed inside the container.
  • The default id:gid has been changed from 1001:0 to 1000:1000.

Please refer to the release 23.02 in the CHANGELOG for more information.

The version G3v3 has brought the following major changes comparing to the previous version G3v2:

  • The updated startup scripts that support overriding the user ID (id) and group ID (gid) without needing the former build argument ARG_FEATURES_USER_GROUP_OVERRIDE, which has been removed.
  • The user ID and the group ID can be overridden during the build time (docker build) and the run time (docker run).
  • The user name, the group name and the initial sudo password can be overridden during the build time.
  • The permissions of the files /etc/passwd and /etc/groups are set to the standard 644 after creating the user.
  • The content of the home folder and the startup folder belongs to the created user.
  • The created user gets permissions to use sudo. The initial sudo password is configurable during the build time using the build argument ARG_SUDO_INITIAL_PW. The password can be changed inside the container.
  • The default id:gid has been changed from 1001:0 to 1000:1000.
  • Features NOVNC and FIREFOX_PLUS, that are enabled by default, can be disabled via environment variables.
  • If FEATURES_NOVNC="0", then
    • image will not include noVNC
    • image tag will get the -vnc suffix (e.g. latest-vnc, 20.04-firefox-vnc etc.)
  • If FEATURES_FIREFOX_PLUS="0" and FEATURES_FIREFOX="1", then
    • image with Firefox will not include the Firefox Plus features
    • image tag will get the -default suffix (e.g. latest-firefox-default or also latest-firefox-default-vnc etc.)
  • The images based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (formerly only on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS).

The version G3v3 has brought the following major changes comparing to the previous version G3v2:

  • The images based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (jammy) and Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (focal).
  • An extended, but simplified tag set for publishing on the Docker Hub.
  • The improved builder scripts, including support for the --target building parameter

The version G3v2 has brought the following major changes comparing to the previous version G3v1:

  • Significantly improved building performance by introducing a local cache (g3-cache).

  • Auto-building on the Docker Hub and using of the GitHub Actions have been abandoned.

  • The enhanced building pipeline moves towards building the images outside the Docker Hub and aims to support also stages with CI/CD capabilities (e.g. the GitLab).

  • The local stage is the default building stage now. However, the new building pipeline has already been tested also with a local GitLab installation in a Docker container on a Linux machine.

  • Automatic publishing of README files to the Docker Hub has been removed, because it was not working properly any more. However, the README files for the Docker Hub can still be prepared with the provided utility util-readme.sh and then copy-and-pasted to the Docker Hub manually.

    The changes affect only the building pipeline, not the Docker images themselves. The Dockerfile, apart from using the new local g3-cache, stays conceptually unchanged.

Project goals

Unlike the first two generations, this G3 generation aims to support CI/CD.

The main project goal is to develop a free, simple and self-containing CI/CD pipeline for building sets of configurable Docker images with minimal dependencies outside the project itself.

There are indeed only three service providers used, all available for free:

  • GitHub repository contains everything required for building the Docker images. Both public and private repositories can be used. GitHub Gists are used for persisting data, e.g. badge endpoints.

  • Docker Hub hosts the repositories for the final Docker images. Public or private repositories can be used.

  • Badgen.net is used for generating and hosting most of the badges.

None of the above service providers is really required. All images can be built locally under Linux or Windows and published elsewhere, if needed.

Building process is implemented to minimize image pollution. New images are pushed to the repositories only if something essential has changed. This can be overridden if needed.

Changes and new features

Hint: More detailed information about new features can be found in User guide and Wiki.

Naming scheme

Unlike the first two generations, this one will aim to use less Docker Hub image repositories with more image tags. For example, previously there have been two Docker Hub repositories xubuntu-vnc and ubuntu-vnc-novnc. Now there will be only one Docker Hub repository accetto/ubuntu-vnc-xfce-g3.

Slimmer images

New images are significantly slimmer than the previous ones. It's because that the most of the packages are installed with the apt-get switch --no-install-recommends by default. This could have consequences, so it is configurable.

Fewer and more flexible Dockerfiles

Image variations are build from fewer Dockerfiles. This is allowed by using multi-stage builds and the Buildkit. On the other hand, flexible and configurable Dockerfiles are slightly more complex.

Concept of features

Flexibility in Dockerfiles is supported by introducing the concept of features. These are variables that control the building process. For example, the variable FEATURES_BUILD_SLIM controls the --no-install-recommends switch, the variable FEATURES_NOVNC controls the inclusion of noVNC and so on. Some other available features include, for example, the FEATURES_SCREENSHOOTING and FEATURES_THUMBNAILING variables. Also the web browsers Chromium and Firefox are defined as features controlled by the variables FEATURES_CHROMIUM, FEATURES_FIREFOX and FEATURES_FIREFOX_PLUS.

Selected features that are enabled by default can be explicitly disabled via environment variables. See readme-local-building-example.md for more information.

Faster building with g3-cache

Building performance has been significantly improved by introducing a local cache (g3-cache), which contains the external packages that would be otherwise downloaded by each build. Refreshing the cache is part of the building pipeline. The Dockerfiles fall back to the ad-hoc downloading if the local cache is not available.

Overriding container user and group

Overriding the container user and group is described in User guide.

Overriding environment variables and VNC/noVNC parameters

Overriding environment variables and VNC/noVNC parameters is described in User guide.

Different use of version sticker

The concept of version sticker has been introduced in the second generation and later implemented also in the first generation. Check this Wiki page for more information.

However, the usage of the version sticker has been changed in the third generation.

Previously it has been used for testing, if there are any newer packages available by following the try-and-fail pattern. That was sufficient for human controlled building process, but it became a problem for CI/CD. Therefore it is used differently now.

The verbose version sticker is used for minimizing image pollution.

The short form of the version sticker is available as an image label and a badge in the README file. The version sticker badge is also linked with the verbose version sticker gist, so it is possible to check the actual image configuration even without downloading it.

The version sticker feature is also described in User guide.

Image metadata

The image metadata are now stored exclusively as image labels. The previous environment variables like REFRESHED_AT or VERSION_STICKER have been removed. Most of the labels are namespaced according the OCI IMAGE SPEC recommendations. However, the version-sticker label is in the namespace any.accetto for obvious reasons.

Simple self-containing CI

The first version of the third generation (G3v1) implemented a relatively simple self-containing CI by utilizing the Docker Hub builder hooks. The same build pipeline could be executed also manually if building locally. For example, an image could be refreshed by executing the /hooks/pre_build and /hooks/build scripts. The script /hooks/push would push the image to the deployment repository. The script /hooks/post_push would update the gist data and trigger the GitHub Actions workflow, which would publish the image's README file to the Docker Hub.

However, in the middle of the year 2021 the Docker Hub removed the auto-building feature from the free plan. Because one of the main objectives of this project is not to depend on any paid services, I had to remove the dependency on the Docker Hub's auto-building. There has also not been any use for the GitHub Actions any more.

The second version (G3v2) of the building pipeline does not depend on the Docker Hub's auto-building feature or the GitHub Actions any more. The original hook scripts have been enhanced and some new ones have been introduced (.e.g. /hooks/cache). The provided utility script builder.sh not only allows executing the individual hook scripts, but also implements the complete workflow for building the individual images. The another utility script ci-builder.sh makes use of it and adds the workflow for building sets of images. Both scripts can optionally also publish the images to the Docker Hub.

The local stage is the default for the new building pipeline. Also a local GitLab installation in a Docker container has already been successfully tested as a CI building stage.

Separated builder and deployment repositories

While there is only one GitHub repository, containing the resources for building all the images, the first pipeline version (G3v1) have used two kinds of repositories on the Docker Hub. A single builder repository has been used for building all the images. The final images have then been published into one or more deployment repositories. This separation allowed to keep permutations by naming reasonable. Not all repositories had to have the same visibility, they could be private or public as required.

The second pipeline version (G3v2) does not really need the builder repository for building the images, because it's done outside the Docker Hub, which previously hosted the builder repository. However, the pipeline is still based on the original hook scripts and therefore it depends on the builder repository object by managing the names and tags of the images first by building and later by publishing to the Docker Hub.

All the images are still build in a single building repository and then published to one or more deployment repositories on the Docker Hub.

The builder repository can also server as a secondary deployment repository during development and testing.

Separate README files for Docker Hub

Each deployment repository has its own README file for the Docker Hub.

The first pipeline version (G3v1) has originally published it using the GitHub Actions workflows after the image has been pushed. However, some time later it has stopped working properly.

The second pipeline version (G3v2) does not try to publish the README file to the Docker Hub any more. However, there is still a utility script, which can prepare the README version for the Docker Hub, which can be then copy-and-pasted there manually.

The source README files for the Docker Hub are split into two parts. The part containing the badge links is separated into a template file. The final README files are then generated by the utility script. These files are usually shorter, because their length is limited by the Docker Hub. Therefore there are also the full-length versions, that are published only on the GitHub.

New startup script

The startup script has been completely redesigned with the help of the argbash tool and the image accetto/argbash-docker. Several new startup switches has been added. For example, there are startup switches --wait, --skip-startup, --tail-null, --tail-vnc, --version-sticker and --version-sticker-verbose. There are also startup modifiers --skip-vnc, --skip-novnc, --debug and --verbose. Also the utility switches --help-usage, --help and --version are available.

Getting help

If you have found a problem or you just have a question, please check the User guide, Issues and Wiki first. Please do not overlook the closed issues.

If you do not find a solution, you can file a new issue. The better you describe the problem, the bigger the chance it'll be solved soon.

If you have a question or an idea and you don't want to open an issue, you can use the Discussions.

Credits

Credit goes to all the countless people and companies, who contribute to open source community and make so many dreamy things real.